All Things in Christ

Ephesians 1:1-14

Introduction

This morning, we are starting a series through the book of Ephesians that will take us through the end of the year.

One of the requests we received is to work through books of the Bible and specifically working through New Testament books.

Marshall is doing that with the sermons in the book of Acts and I am going to do that with the book of Ephesians.

Our goal is to understand what Paul wanted the Ephesians to learn and then see how that continues to apply to us today.

As we begin, we look at one of Paul’s most grand introductions in all of his epistles.

He lifts our vision to eternal glory as he sets the stage for the arguments he will make about who Christ is and what that means for the Christians in Ephesus.

To the Holy and Faithful

Paul identifies the author (Eph. 1:1-2; cf. Gal. 1:1; Phil. 1:1 Phile. 1).

What Paul is doing in a given letter changes how he introduces himself.

This introduction seems like the standard, perhaps even formal, introduction.

But it keeps us from reading these letters as if we are simply “reading someone else’s mail.”

This letter is from Paul but it is more truly, from God.

Grace and peace point to two things Paul is doing in this letter (and all of his letters).

Grace describes the nature of the relationship (patronage language) that God has established with His people.

While peace describes the relationship this ought to produce among His people.

He identifies the recipients (Eph. 1:1).

Saints is not used as a compliment, it is a claim about who they belong to. Who they are set apart for.

Faithful means those who are loyal to Christ and no other.

“Blessed be God” (Eph. 1:3).

Paul is about to engage in making a case about the unification of Jews and Gentiles in Christ.

He does not begin with argument but with praise for all that God has done which is where the argument is rooted.

We often dismiss doxologies like this as if they are mere routine but they are foundational.

But routines, ways of speaking and thinking about things are important. They anchor us. Don’t discount them.

Part of the Plan

Chosen and predestined before creation (Eph. 1:4-5).

He has chose US before history and predestined US.

This creates a difficulty.

If we freely choose, then how can we reconcile that with God mandating our destiny before the foundations of the world?

It is often said that if God only chooses us in the abstract, then that takes away from the power of what Paul is saying.

If he only chose the plan but not the people then what weight does this carry?

But I think part of the problem is taking this argument out of context and putting the emphasis where it makes the most emotional impact on us and not where Paul is putting it.

The argument here in Ephesians (and in other Pauline epistles) is about Christ and what He accomplished.

Paul is making the case that Christ is not a distinct path or additional element to what God did in the past, He is the point of everything.

So, the argument here isn’t God chose you and not that guy, the argument is God chose “us in Him” and no other way.

In Him, through Him, by Him.

The emphasis in the sentence should be “Him” not “us.”

Sometimes, the argument is made that “Christ didn’t establish the church and then people came. The church doesn’t exist until there are people because the church IS the people.”

While I understand the reasons behind that argument (emphasizing that the church is the people) it perhaps leans into one ditch to avoid another.

The church existed in the mind of God before there were people.

When we become a part of the church (when the first become became a part of the church), we become a part of what God in Christ has been doing from before creation.

So, what we are doing right now is participating in things that were in the mind of God when the earth did not exist.

Does that lack weight?

Is that emotionally unsatisfying?

Chosen for a purpose (Eph. 1:4-6).

There are three purposes laid out in these three verses.

That we would be holy and blameless.

That we would be adopted.

That the glory of His grace would be praised.

All of these are purposes God has been proclaiming the whole time.

He has always said He wants a holy and blameless people (Ex. 19:6; Lev. 19:2).

He has always said that His people are His “firstborn Son” (Ex. 4:22; Hos. 11:1).

So, adoption is not an addition to the plan, it is the culmination of this language that has always been there.

It is more true now in fact and show what was to be mere prospect.

All of this has always been to point people to Him (Isa. 43:21).

So when we see the New Testament proclaiming something in Christ, it is not a new proclamation, but a final proclamation in a long line starting at the beginning.

The fulfillment of the plan (Eph. 1:7-12).

Notice that the redemption and forgiveness are not the final point of verse 7.

He brings up those things to show that God has revealed His will through this.

What characteristic would you point to if you were highlighting what the blood of Jesus accomplishes? Love, right?

Here he points to wisdom and insight because the point isn’t God loved you so much (even though that is true).

The point is, this was a playing out of the wise and insightful plan of God that has been planned the whole time.

And the focal point isn’t “you’ve been forgiven,” it is “the summing up of all things in Christ.”

What happened at the cross?

“Jesus died to save me from my sins?”

But better still, Jesus died to bring into reality everything that God had planned from the before the foundation of the world both in heaven and on earth.

Our inheritance is to His glory.

There is disagreement as to whether this means we are His inheritance or we receive an inheritance.

I lean in the direction of the former.

But either way, it points to the fulfillment of His plan and is to His glory.

Do you see where the vision of the reader is directed? Do you see how this crumples arguments that would divide into camps of Jew and Gentile?

Here we are as the evidence of Christ’s victory over all bringing glory to the King.

But instead of that, we are dividing the spoils up into categories.

We are dividing up the adopted children into this type and that.

In this picture, it all looks so silly.

Sealed and Pledged

Notice the shift from “we” to “you” (Eph. 1:13).

This likely refers to Jews (we) and Gentiles or Ephesians including Jews and Gentiles (you).

Either way, Paul is saying they have the same things that those in the first place had.

Notice their participation in the plan (Eph. 1:13).

Paul says AFTER you heard and also believed.

They weren’t sealed before the foundations of the earth. They were sealed after hearing and a faithful response.

The Spirit’s seal and pledge point to greater things to come (Eph. 1:14).

The seal nor the pledge are given any description here.

Additional pledge references do not add much clarity (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5).

The word for seal is used throughout the Revelation 7 to refer to the sealing of the 144,000 before the seventh seal is opened.

But whatever it actually is, it is an indicator that the Gentiles (or the congregation in Ephesus as a whole) have received the same thing as those who first hoped in Christ.

It is also something that is a part of a greater whole.

Conclusion

The question that should be prompted here is, “are you in Christ.”

Who has God chosen and who has He predestined and who has He sealed? Those in Christ.

The Bible does not erase all distinctions in every context, but there are ways in which God does say, there is only one distinction, those in Christ and those not in Christ.

So it doesn’t matter where you came from, whether your great-great-grandparents were Christians or whether you are the first person in your family to ever read a Bible. It doesn’t matter what your occupation is, your nationality, your level of education, male or female, slave or free. The only question that matters in this context is, “are you in Christ.”

That is a question for those who have never put on Christ through baptism and it is a question for those who have put on Christ but walked away from Him.